RTÉ Toy Show Appeal: 169 grant recipients announced

RTÉ and Community Foundation Ireland have announced the 169 recipients of the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal grant awards in 2025.

The awards are thanks to the generosity of viewers of RTÉ's "Late Late Toy Show" last December.

RTÉ says that the response to the "Late Late Toy Show" appeal "will help transform the lives of over one million children, young people and their families in Ireland, with every county on the island benefiting from grants totalling  €5 million."

To date, the Toy Show Appeal has raised over €26 million for Irish charities since its inception five years ago.

The RTÉ Toy Show Appeal began in 2020 and was inspired by the story of Saoirse Ruane from Kiltullagh, Co Galway, who - along with her beloved teddy Slush - captivated viewers with her appearance on The Late Late Toy Show. Saoirse sadly died aged 12 in March 2024.

Saoírse Ruane on "The Late Late Show" in May 2023.

“The RTÉ Toy Show Appeal is one of RTÉ's most important initiatives - we are humbled by and grateful for the generosity of our Late Late Toy Show audience," RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst said while announcing the grants.

"Your continued support has ensured that the RTÉ Toy Show Appeal will continue to make a positive difference to the lives of thousands of children and their families, across the island, north and south.

"The memory of Saoirse Ruane lives on with every annual RTÉ Toy Show Appeal, as thousands of young lives are transformed year after year."

The RTÉ Toy Show Appeal, in partnership with Community Foundation Ireland, has announced that the following four charities will receive grants of between €95,000 and €140,000 each:

Exchange house

Amount awarded: €140,000

Thriving Together is a community-led mental health initiative designed to improve mental health outcomes for Traveller children, young people and families by fostering resilience through peer-led support and crisis intervention.

This programme directly supports Traveller children and young people, who face significant discrimination, mental health challenges and barriers to accessing services. The programme aims to increase access to culturally appropriate mental health support through peer-led services and improve resilience among Traveller youth. There is a focus on crisis response, peer mentoring and capacity building, reflecting a proactive, early intervention approach.

The peer-led model and inclusion of community voices in programme design demonstrate the emphasis on including beneficiary feedback and creating strong community impact.

The Crann Centre CLG

Amount awarded: €140,000

The Crann Centre CLG transforms the lives of children and families living with neurophysical disabilities through a unique programme of accessible play and recreation supported by a world class multi-disciplinary team and facilities.

Crann has identified that a lack of accessible, purpose designed, inclusive spaces for play and recreation means that their clients do not have opportunities to engage in play, nature and social activities which are key to their development, health and wellbeing. Crann has developed a unique Social Capital Programme of activities in their accessible spaces to provide these opportunities to children and families with neuro-physical disabilities in Munster.

Crann offers a unique programme of events and activities delivering year-round play, creativity, social connection and participation in Crann’s purpose-built indoor and outdoor accessible facilities for children and families living with neuro-physical disabilities.

Their Social Capital Programme activities include regular access to Crann’s unique accessible playground and conservation area, fully inclusive summer camps, Ireland’s first accessible theatre group, conservation events, nature hunts, picnics, family barbecues, music performances as well as an accessible Christmas Winter Wonderland.

The Jack and Jill Children's Foundation

Amount awarded: €140,000

Jack and Jill currently provide home nursing care to children up to the age of 6, by providing vital in-home nursing and respite support, that is bespoke for every family. In 2025, they propose to extend the age criteria to seven years.

Jack and Jill is a nationwide charity that funds and provides in-home nursing care and respite support to families caring for children up to the age of six currently, who have severe to profound cognitive delays, associated with complex medical needs. This includes children with brain injury, genetic diagnoses and undiagnosed conditions.

A critical part of their service is end-of-life care for all children up to the age of six, irrespective of diagnosis.

In 2024, Jack and Jill supported 539 families across Ireland with in-home nursing care and delivering over 129,000 respite support.

Currently, they are caring for 436 families, and since their founding in 1997, they have supported 3,147 families. Based on immediate results from their pilot extension to seven years, they plan for this to become the standard age offered by Jack and Jill going forward. This means when a child in their care turns six, parents will have the option to continue receiving up to 20 hours of home care per month for an additional year.

Women's Aid

Amount awarded: €95,000

Women’s Aid plan to expand the impact of the unique Too Into You project for youth at risk of or subjected to intimate partner abuse by educating those working with children/youth and creating awareness and advocacy among young people from diverse communities.

Women's Aid has been working to prevent and address the impact of domestic violence and abuse, including coercive control against women and children since 1974. Their work has been based on a multi-faceted approach that combines direct services with research, training, education and advocacy. Their vision is an equal Ireland with zero tolerance of domestic abuse, and all forms of violence against women.

The remainder of the donations will be split amongst 165 charities across the island of Ireland by charity partner Community Foundation Ireland, who manage the grant process on behalf of RTÉ and its viewers.

Among the recipient charities are organisations like Pieta House, The Saoirse Foundation (Bumbleance), Oscar’s Kids Ireland, Nasc the Migrant and Refugee Rights Centre, and Irish Aerial Creation Centre.

“Turning the huge generosity of The Late Late Show viewers into actions which support children and families in every county is a huge honour and one which all of us at Community Foundation Ireland are immensely proud," Denise Charlton, Chief Executive of Community Foundation Ireland, said.

"Once again, we have used both our expertise as a grant-making philanthropic hub of 25 years as well as insights from communities, advocates and researchers to deliver grants which deliver positive impacts and results. Those insights allow us to respond to both long-standing and emerging challenges.

"Congratulations to all who have been successful. Your work with families will ensure that the magic of the Toy Show will continue to happen every day in our communities.”

Local projects and organizations in every county of Ireland will receive grants to help with a diverse range of needs, including meeting basic needs like food and essentials, disability supports, creativity and play and bereavement support.

Over £325,000 has been awarded to 20 charities and organisations in Northern Ireland, including Rainbow Child and Family Centre, The Cedar Foundation, In Your Space Circus, Lightyear Foundation, and Sticky Fingers.

You can see the full list of Toy Show grants for 2025 here.